Ag minute: Kansas January 1 Cattle Inventory Down 4 Percent

All cattle and calves held on Kansas farms and ranches on Jan. 1, 2013 totaled 5.85 million head, down 4 percent from the Jan. 1, 2012 level. This is the lowest January 1, inventory since 1992 at 5.65 million head.

All cattle and calves held on Kansas farms and ranches on Jan. 1, 2013 totaled 5.85 million head, down 4 percent from the Jan. 1, 2012 level. This is the lowest January 1, inventory since 1992 at 5.65 million head.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 1.46 million head, were down 7 percent from a year earlier.Beef cow inventory was estimated at 1.33 million head, 8 percent below a year ago. This is the lowest beef cow inventory since 1991.

Milk cows, at 132,000 head, were up 7 percent from January 1, 2012. Bulls over 500 pounds totaled 85,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year. Beef replacement heifers, at 230,000 head, were down 8 percent from the previous year.

Milk replacement heifers, at 100,000 head, were up 15,000 head from last year. Other heifers over 500 pounds, at 1.37 million head, decreased 12 percent from

last year's 1.55 million head. Steers over 500 pounds, at 1.97 million head, were up 3 percent from the previous year's number.

As of January 1, 2013 all cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots were 2.25 million head, 5 percent less than the previous January. Calves under 500 pounds totaled 635,000 head, 2 percent less than the January 1, 2012 figure of 645,000 head. This was the lowest Kansas calf inventory since

1938.

The 2012 calf crop, at 1.25 million head, was down 12 percent from 2011. This is the lowest calf crop since the current series began in 1977.